Giff74

Wow! All I can say is that thing is sex on two wheels. Congrats!!!

Thanks for the feedback everyone! It takes me 30-45 minutes just to get to Kentucky and then quite a while longer to get to some of the recommended locations. So a ride like this would quickly turn into an all day affair. I just don't have the time to commit to something like that even on an off day. Chuck, thanks for the info. I'll search around for your map. I've only found a few "segments" around here that are fun to ride. Like mentioned above you get a handful of corners and then it just goes straight again for a while. I'm very close to the Little Miami River so I thought there would be some good older "river roads," but I haven't found them if they exist. I guess if I really want to corner I either need to go to Kentucky or the race track....

Howdy all! I've got a rare Monday off and would like to get some riding in. I live in the Mason/Maineville area, but haven't lived here for very long. The handful of roads I've tried just don't turn into much between stop signs, traffic signals and lack of twisties. So, I was hoping that someone familiar with the area could recommend some good riding to me. I only ride an R3 so I don't need any long straights, just lots and lots of curves. Thanks ahead of time, I appreciate your help! Giff

I'm considering a full time track bike, so I'm more concerned about the mechanical side. Does the bike have any substantial documented service history? I'm also trying to understand what exactly is going on with those LED's on the mirrors and pillion pegs. I only ask because I've made this mistake before, has the wiring harness turned into a rat's nest or can the LED's and their wiring be easily removed without affecting how the rest of the bike runs? Thanks for any feedback you can provide. Giff

Generally I'm not a big HD fan, but damn that bike looks good!!!!!

I'm new here, but I'm always glad to here about another rider only getting "minimal" damage when they get ran over. I hope you heal up fast and financially get an enormous settlement. How does this country want to pass laws about guns, DUI and marijuana, but it won't limit cell phone usage in moving vehicles? How many more of us have to get hurt and killed and all the driver says is "I never saw them?" Giff

Wow, I really appreciate all that feedback! Maybe we can get together sometime. I just moved back to the Cincinnati area and I don't know where anything is. Do you have a mechanic you like/trust? I do most of my own wrenching, but I've got new tires coming and hate getting gouged to have them mounted and balanced. Thanks again!

Thanks so much for the heads up about Putnam and STT!

Evening all! I'm just getting back into serious riding this year after an almost 20 year layoff. I had a couple of DR650's that I dabbled with the last couple of years, but I got a Yamaha R3 last winter and I've enjoyed riding the wheels off of it since then. Of course now I want to go faster and brake harder than I know I should in public. I've got a couple of "simple" goals in mind. This year I'd like to get into a novice/beginner/C class track day or weekend with hands on instructors. I'm old enough now to know I don't know what all I need to know to go fast. For this year the only option I would have is riding my non race prepared R3. As early as possible next spring I'd like to do another track day or two and work my way into some racing by the end of the summer. If things are going well I would get another R3 and kit it out for racing. Here's what I don't know. Who should I be contacting about track day instruction and would my closest option to Cincinnati be Mid-Ohio? The other thing I can't figure out is are there any race clubs or groups in southwest or central Ohio? I've been on the AMA site and WERA's, but aside from dates I can't figure out what the classes of bikes are. Is there a class for N300's and R3's or is everyone still using 250's? There is probably a bunch of stuff I'm not even aware of for how these events are structured. I've read the track day FAQ's on the the top of this page and some interesting threads, but if someone could give me a "road map" of what I want to do and some contacts/websites of the organizers I would sincerely appreciate it. Thanks ahead of time!!!! Giff

Thanks!

Sorry, I'm new here. Is Ryan Hoblick a local forum member I should look up?

I'm about to order new tires and I haven't convinced myself to invest in a balancer or set of tire spoons from this decade. Truth be told I haven't even got a set of Pit Bull jacks yet. So, I've got to pay someone to mount these tires. I'm about 5 minutes from Kings Island in the Maineville/Mason area. Can someone suggest a shop on this side of town that won't gouge for 15 minutes worth of work. Thanks, Giff

Good afternoon all! I can't tell you all how excited I am to find an Ohio based forum. Since I got back into riding it seems everyone and all the info is West Coast based. Nothing wrong with West Coast, they just don't have the weather issues we do, the lack of road racing facilities and I really feel like we have more drivers paying no attention to us because there are fewer bikes on the road in the Midwest in general. So, a little about me. I'm in my 40's and bought a Yamaha R3 last winter. I've been commuting on it since February in all but the worst weather. I also enjoy a spirited back road ride and I'm itching to get onto a race track. I road quite a bit in my late teens and early twenties, then I went almost twenty years without owning a bike. I bought and sold a couple DR650's over the last couple years. They just weren't that much fun on the road and the off road adventures I'd imagined never really materialized. I'm married with three kids and, like most of us, a very full time job to keep me busy when I'm not playing motorcycle racer. My wife has assured that week long excursions on a dual sport bike are at least ten more years away. LOL! My goal is that by the end of summer, I've lost a few pounds, bought some leathers without my wife knowing and made it to a track day (for newbs/novices/c class) at Mid-Ohio. If anyone is aware of any road racing tracks closer to Cincinnati than Mid-Ohio, VIR or Atlanta please let me know. Same goes for racing clubs in the southwest or central Ohio regions that will take on new, slow, short, fat, bald members. Haha! I have no delusions of grandeur about my road racing career, if this year goes well I'll probably get another R3 and one will for the roads and the other one kitted out for the track. I've been out of the game for a long time. If any of you bigger guys could recommend brands for racing suits that would be great. I'm 5' 9" and currently about 265. However, I'm in the process of losing weight and should be below 250 in a couple more months. When I look at Revzilla and the other gear sites, everything looks European and not exactly sized for my frame. I'm open to pretty much any brand, just got keep it under $1000. Thanks for any help ahead of time. Maybe I'll be able to meet some of y'all in person since this is kind of a "local" group. Giff